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ppminicrunch.doc
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PPMiniCrunch v1.2
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Documentation
=============
oO°System Requirements°Oo
-------------------------
PPMiniCrunch requires KickStart 2.04 (v37) or above and powerpacker.library
v35 or above. Otherwise should work on any memory/hardware configuration.
oO°Installation°Oo
------------------
To run this program the files,
powerpacker.library
asl.library
must be in the LIBS directory on your boot disk or in any directory included
in the LIBS: assign.
oO°What it is°Oo
----------------
PPMiniCrunch is a data file cruncher/decruncher that uses powerpacker
library and provides a small low memory gadtools front-end. It was written
as a substitute for powerpacker for when powerpacker's more obscure
functions aren't required, mainly for people using a floppy based
system as powerpacker is too large (around 70k) to have on workbench
disks etc. PPMiniCrunch is designed to be user friendly with gadgets for
all functions, and keyboard shortcuts for all gadgets.
oO°How to use it°Oo
-------------------
-= Running PPMiniCrunch from the Shell =-
To run PPMiniCrunch activate a shell/CLI window and type PPMiniCrunch
preceded by a path if PPMiniCrunch is not in the current directory or
a directory specified in the path list.
The PPMiniCrunch requester will then appear on the Workbench screen. All
functions (listed below) are controlled from this requester. Current program
status/information is displayed in the text gadget at the top of the window.
PPMiniCrunch also has several command line options. The format of these is
as follows:
PPMiniCrunch FILE|DIR C=CUSTOMSCREEN/S
and can be displayed by typing:
PPMiniCrunch ?
Specifying the CUSTOMSCREEN option (i.e. "PPMiniCrunch c" or "PPMiniCrunch
customscreen"), will make PPMiniCrunch open on it's own screen rather than
the default workbench screen. This uses about 45K of extra memory on my
machine. PPMiniCrunch uses a 4 colour hires non-interlaced display for its
custom screen.
Specifying the FILE|DIR option will set the file requester default directory
to the path specified or to the path of the specified file. If a filename
is included in the path then PPMiniCrunch will attempt to load it as if it
was selected using the 'Source' gadget (see below). If the file specified is
already crunched it will be loaded and decrunched, otherwise it will be
selected ready for crunching using the 'Crunch' gadget (see below).
e.g.
PPMiniCrunch df1:Modules/mod.Voodoo_Chile_(Slight_Return).pp C
will set the current directory for disk operations (loading and saving) to
'df1:Modules', and will attempt to load and decrunch the powerpacked file,
'mod.Voodoo_Chile_(Slight_Return).pp'. Oh, and all this will happen on a
custom screen.
-= Running PPMiniCrunch from Workbench =-
To run PPMiniCrunch from the Workbench use one of the following three
methods:
o Double-click on the PPMiniCrunch icon and the window will open
allowing you to operate the program as described below.
o To load a file for crunching/decrunching as PPMiniCrunch loads, click once on
the PPMiniCrunch icon and then, while holding down the shift key
double-click on the icon of the file you wish to crunch/decrunch.
PPMiniCrunch will be loaded and if the file you selected was already
crunched it will be decrunched ready for saving, otherwise it will be
selected ready for crunching using the 'Crunch' gadget (see below).
o Alternatively you can click once on the PPMiniCrunch icon and then,
while holding down the shift key, double click on a drawer icon. This
will load PPMiniCrunch as normal, but when you press the 'Source' or
'Save' gadgets (see below), the default directory for the file
requester will be the one you double-clicked on.
To tell PPMiniCrunch to open on a custom screen you must use the Information
option in the Tools menu of the Workbench screen. Set one of the ToolTypes
to the following string if it does not already exist:
CUSTOMSCREEN=ON
This will tell PPMiniCrunch to open on a custom screen rather than the
workbench screen. The ON keyword in the above string can be changed to
YES yielding the same result as ON, or it can be replaced with anything
else, e.g. NO, OFF etc. to disable the option and make PPMiniCrunch open
on the workbench screen.
-= Controlling PPMiniCrunch =-
The following options are available using the gadgets in the PPMiniCrunch
window:
-Selecting a source file for crunching/decrunching
Click on the 'Source' gadget or press the keyboard shortcut - "O". This
will select a file for crunching unless the file is already crunched in
which case it is loaded and decrunched ready for saving as an uncrunched
file. The size of the uncrunched file will be displayed in the 'Original
Length' number gadget, and if a crunched file was loaded (and decrunched)
the 'Crunched Length' number gadget will display the original length of the
file (before it was decrunched).
-Choosing the crunch efficiency
The quality of the crunching can be controlled by the mutually exclusive
'Crunch Efficiency' gadget. 'Best' is slower than the other options but
provides the greatest crunch factor. 'Fast' is the fastest but provides the
least saving in file size. These settings are used when the Crunch gadget
is activated. The list can be cycled through using the keyboard shortcut -
"E", either forwards by pressing E unshifted or backwards by pressing
E with the shift key.
-Choosing the speedup buffer size
If you have enough memory the buffer used for crunching can be increased
by selecting 'Large' in the mutually exclusive 'Speedup Buffer' gadget.
This gives a large increase in crunch speed whereas selecting 'Small'
decreases the speed slightly but uses less memory than the default, 'Medium'.
The list can be cycled through using the keyboard shortcut - "B", either
forwards by pressing B unshifted or backwards by pressing B with the shift
key.
-Crunching the current file
If a valid uncrunched file was selected (using the 'Source' gadget), then
the 'Crunch' gadget will be enabled. Selecting this gadget will then
decrunch the current data file and the percentage gain will be displayed
in the info gadget, along with the crunched data length in the 'Crunched
Length' number gadget. The data can then be saved by clicking on the 'Save'
gadget if no errors ocurred during crunching. While the file is crunching,
the text info box (at the top of the window) will become highlighted from
left to right in proportion to the percentage of crunching done. This should
give you a fair idea of how long a file will take to crunch once started.
If this seems like too long or for any other reason, crunching can be
aborted by pressing the right mouse button.
-Saving the current file
If the original file (selected with the 'Source' gadget) was already
crunched then it will have been loaded and decrunched. It can then be
saved as an uncrunched file by selecting the 'Save' gadget. If the original
file was uncrunched then the 'Save' gadget will only be enabled after the
file has been crunched (see above), in which case selecting 'Save' allows
you to save the crunched data to a file. Save can be selected either by
clicking on the 'Save' gadget or by pressing the keyboard shortcut - "S".
-Quitting from PPMiniCrunch
You can quit PPMiniCrunch at any time by clicking on the 'Quit' gadget or
by pressing the keyboard shortcut - "Q"
PPMiniCrunch displays error messages and verification messages when any
operation is performed. When PPMiniCrunch is currently saving data, loading
data, crunching/decrunching data, or displaying a file requester the mouse
pointer will change to a busy mouse pointer when the PPMiniCrunch requester
window is activated.
Have fun with PPMiniCrunch ;-]
oO°Other bits°Oo
----------------
PPMiniCrunch is Copyright 1993 Sam Baker.
PPMiniCrunch is Public Domain and must not be sold for any amount of money
without my permission. The program file, 'PPMiniCrunch' should only be
distributed with the following files -
PPMiniCrunch.doc (this file)
PPMiniCrunch.history
PPMiniCrunch was written in assembler/E using Amiga E, the excellent public
domain E compiler/68000 assembler by someone whose name I have forgotten.
It was written on a standard A1200 using Amiga E, the Devpac v3.02 editor
and a few blank disks. Oh and the powerpacker.library documentation and the
v37 Amiga ROM Kernel manuals.
-Obtaining the source
For the PPMiniCrunch source code (the latest version) and the latest version
in executable form please send £2.50(inc.P&P) to:
Sam Baker
100 Beauley Road
Southville
Bristol
BS3 1QG
England
I would also appreciate any suggested improvements or bug reports at the
same address.....Cheers :-)
oO°Advert°Oo
------------
COMING SOON:
Defektris (the name may change before release)
The new falling blocks game enhanced with new and exciting originality
by Sam Baker. A free preview version can be obtained direct from me (the
author) by sending a disk and a stamped self-addressed envelope/jiffy bag
to the address above. This preview should work on all Amigas and will
include details of how to register and obtain the full version. (But only
if you like it :-]). Defektris is written in 100% assembly language and
the source will also be available - details with the preview version.
* Most definitely AGA compatible 'cause it was written on an A1200.
* OS 3.0 and 1.3 and 68000 and 68020 processor compatible.
* Works with 0.5 Mb of RAM.
* Hard disk installable.